Man charged with terroristic threatening after standoff at downtown Anchorage hotel

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A man who was arrested after a roughly four-hour standoff at the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown Anchorage on Friday told police officers that he had multiple weapons and wanted to shoot people, according to charging documents in the case.

Several downtown Anchorage streets were closed to traffic Friday afternoon during a standoff between police and 52-year-old John Holman, who was later taken into custody and now faces a charge of second-degree terroristic threatening, according to charging documents.

Around 2:45 p.m., Anchorage police were called to the Hotel Captain Cook for what was initially described by the Anchorage Police Department as a “disturbance” and later a “disturbance with a weapon.” According to an affidavit signed by Officer Ross Henikman with the Anchorage Police Department, that’s around the time Holman called 911 “saying he had 25 guns and wants to shoot (a negative term for Alaska Natives) and wants APD to kill him.”

A large number of police responded to downtown Anchorage, blocking off Fourth and Fifth Avenues, as well as Third and Seventh Avenues, between K Street and I Street. Police advised nearby pedestrians to avoid the area and many had their weapons pointed at a tower of the hotel.

According to the affidavit, officers learned Holman had checked into a room and were able to communicate with him verbally from the hallway.

Then, the documents state, Holman began “yelling profanities” at the officers, as well yelling for help. He then barricaded himself inside the hotel room.

Officers obtained a search warrant, and also spoke to a relative of Holman’s outside the hotel, who, according to the charging documents, told them they were concerned about Holman’s mental state. The relative told police Holman had firearms with him, and also had them in his vehicle.

By around 6:30 p.m., police had taken Holman into custody and began reopening the streets surrounding the hotel.

He is charged with one count of terroristic threatening, a felony, and online court records show he was scheduled to be arraigned in Anchorage Court on Saturday.

Clarification: This article has been updated to remove a negative term for Alaska Natives that was allegedly used by the man taken into custody, according to court documents.

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